Thursday, November 03, 2005

The Biggest Hit Drama in the whole world...

The TV miniseries Daejanggeum, or Jewel in the Palace, which aired on MBC from September 15, 2003 to March 23, 2004, set many new records. The miniseries, whose viewer rate averaged 47%, and even reached a high of 57.8%, is based on the story of a real historical figure (Jang-geum) who was the first and only woman to serve as head physician to the King in the rigidly hierarchical and male-dominated social structure of the Joseon Dynasty. Daejanggeum, in English, “the Great Jang-geum,” caught the attention of Korean TV viewers with its unique combination of two themes: the successful rise of a female, which is rarely covered in historical genre, and the elements of traditional food and medicine. For three months, beginning in May 2004, Daejanggeum aired in Taiwan, overtaking other Taiwanese miniseries, and snatching the title of most viewed program of the season. In fact, nowadays, visiting Taiwanese fans flock to the main filming locations on Jeju-do Island, the Korean Folk Village, Naganeupseong, Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Palace, and Changdeokgung Palace. The series was also launched on NHK satellite TV beginning October 8, 2004. In spring 2004, Daejanggeum also gained popularity in the West when the drama aired in 60 episodes on WOCH-Ch in Chicago, drawing large numbers of Daejanggeum aficionados. These days, the main filming locations in Jeju-do Island, Korean Folk Village, Naganeupseong, Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Palace, and Changdeokgung Palace are crowded with Taiwanese fans.